mandrake

(man′drāk′)

noun

a poisonous plant (Mandragora officinarum) of the nightshade family, found in Mediterranean regions: it has purple or white flowers and a thick root, often forked, formerly used in medicine for its narcotic and emetic properties
the root, formerly thought to have magic powers because of its fancied resemblance to the human body
☆ May apple

Origin: ME mondrake, altered by folk etym. (by assoc. with man + drake, dragon) < mandrag(g)e < OE mandragora < LL < L mandragoras < Gr

See mandrake in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. A southern European plant (Mandragora officinarum) having greenish-yellow flowers and a branched root. This plant was once believed to have magical powers because its root resembles the human body.
b. The root of this plant, which contains the poisonous alkaloid hyoscyamine. Also called mandragora.
See May apple.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , alteration (influenced by drake, dragon)

Origin: of mandragora

Origin: , from Old English

Origin: , from Latin mandragorās

Origin: , from Greek

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